The present invention relates generally to shelving systems having one or more sloping shelves, and more particularly, to a reversible shelf divider which is particularly advantageous for use on sloping shelves whereby each divider can selectively provide two alternate package stop heights.
Shelving systems having sloping shelves are commonly used for displaying magazines, newspapers, notebook paper and similar type products. While sloping shelves facilitate display of these products, due to the slope of the shelves, stop members must be provided at or near the forward edges of the shelves such that the items being displayed do not slide off the shelves. To this end, a shelf divider is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,183,438 and comprises a divider member positioned of a sliding member and terminated by a stop member. Pins are inserted into, formed to extend from, or clipped to the shelf divider for insertion into a series of holes formed along the forward edge of the sloping shelves to retain the divider on the shelves.
While the shelf divider of the cited patent is effective in providing a stop member required for retaining items on sloping shelves, each shelf divider provides a single height stop member such that different sizes of dividers are required to define different stop member heights. Accordingly, the prior art shelf dividers can produce inventory problems where different stop heights are required, and can restrict the ability of users of sloping shelves to prepare and vary from time-to-time the layout of products displayed upon the shelves.
It is thus apparent that the need exists for a more versatile shelf divider for shelving units including sloping shelves which will provide alternate stop member heights to expedite and facilite display layouts, and also reduce by a factor of two production and inventory expenses related to such shelf dividers.